Rebel Heir

  Making this kind of commitment to someone was scary as all fuck, but I wouldn’t have had it any other way. Accepting my feelings was the best thing I ever did. It felt so good not to have to fight them anymore. The fear hadn’t gone away. The difference was that I was letting it be there, telling it to fuck off while I lived my life and loved this girl. While I was more scared than I had ever been in my life, I’d never been happier, either. And that trumped everything else.

  I slid my hand slowly down her abdomen before slipping my fingers inside of her. She was wet. Gia’s sexual appetite was voracious, even in her sleep.

  Her body stirred and then she reached out to me. “Hey…you trying to get some?”

  I slowly pulled my fingers out of her. “I am. You givin’?”

  She climbed on top of me, kissing me hard on the lips. “I thought you might be tired of me after all the times we did it last night.”

  “Fuck no. “I squeezed her ass. “Did you know there’s something called preggophilia?”

  “Oh my God…what?”

  “It’s a fetish. I Googled can’t get enough of pregnant woman and that came up. I think I might be a preggophile.”

  She was cracking up. “I thought you were just saying that at first, but I’m starting to believe it.”

  I took her hand and placed it on my rigid cock. “Believe this.”

  Gia straddled me before sliding my cock into her wet cunt. The feeling of sinking into her hot pussy was like no other. It was truly like what I imagined heaven felt like.

  She started to grind her hips over me. I loved sex with her in any position, but when she rode me, it always felt like I was even deeper into her. I loved being able to watch her tits bounce and to place my hands over different parts of her body, exploring her face, her hips, her ass. It almost made me feel guilty to be able to sit back while she did all the work, except for the fact that she really seemed to love being on top, seemed to love being in control.

  You know what else I freaking loved? Being able to fuck her without a condom. Before her, I never took chances with anyone—always covered it up. Fucking her bare felt almost too good, and I had to constantly try to stop myself from prematurely blowing my load. Thankfully, Gia was so horny that she never took very long to come.

  This time was no exception. As she came crashing down on top of me, throbbing over my cock, I spilled inside of her until there was nothing left.

  Gia collapsed onto my chest. “How did I ever get so lucky?”

  I caressed her hair for a while before I said, “I’m the lucky one.”

  We lay there in silence. I don’t know what made me say, “I feel sorry for that bastard from The Heights, whoever he is, because he won’t know what he’s missing out on.” I blew out a breath. “Fuck that. I don’t feel sorry for him. I’m glad he took off.”

  She laid her head on me and was quiet for a while before she said, “I wish this baby was yours. I would give anything for that.”

  Her words squeezed at my chest. Of course, I wished that were the case. But dwelling on it in any way was futile. We could never change the fact that it wasn’t mine.

  “I wish that, too, for ego reasons, but you know...he won’t ever feel like he doesn’t have a father. I’ll always be there for him—and for you. In the end, it won’t make a difference who his sperm donor was.” I held her tighter. “Things are the way they were meant to be. You don’t meet people by accident in life. That dude was meant to leave, and you were meant to meet me. It’s all written in the stars.”

  She lifted her head to meet my eyes. “I didn’t know you were so philosophical.”

  “Have you met my mother?”

  She chuckled. “That’s true.”

  When her smile faded, I asked, “What’s wrong?”

  She rubbed her stomach. “Pretty soon, we’re not gonna be able to hide this. How do I explain it to the people at work?”

  “You don’t have to explain shit to them. You don’t owe anyone an explanation.”

  “But I want to do it before they start talking. I feel like I just need to lay it all out on the line and be the one to control when they find out before they start whispering about my size.”

  I didn’t want this to stress her out and vowed to myself that I would take care of things.

  “Don’t worry about any of that. I’ll handle it.”

  The next day at The Heights, I called a mandatory staff meeting right after closing. I wanted everyone there so that I didn’t have to explain myself twice. If employees weren’t on shift, they were still called in and paid for the hour.

  I specifically did it during Gia’s night off, so that she didn’t have to deal with it.

  Everyone gathered around me. I’d chosen the downstairs bar area as the site of our informal meeting. People were definitely confused. I think they might have thought I was closing down The Heights, because it was unlike me to call a meeting.

  When it looked like everyone was there, I cleared my throat to get their attention. “I’m gonna make this brief. I know you’re all tired, and it’s late, so I’m not keeping you a second longer than I have to.” I took a deep breath. “You know I don’t normally talk about my personal life, because it generally has nothing to do with business, but because Gia is an employee here, I don’t want her to have to worry about people talking behind her back.” I inhaled before spitting it out. “She and I are together. She’s my girlfriend.” I paused. “I love her. And we’re also having a baby. If you have any questions or concerns about that news, you can see me. But I don’t want anyone making her feel uncomfortable because of it or treating her any differently—unless it’s to make her job easier.” I nodded once. “I have nothing more to say. You guys have a good night.”

  I walked away, leaving the rumblings and whispers of my staff behind. No one had a chance to congratulate me or even respond. That was fine with me.

  Large footsteps trailed me. I knew exactly who it was before his deep voice came up from behind me. “Whoa. Whoa. Whoa. You think you’re gonna make an announcement like that and not have to deal with me? You got another thing coming.”

  As Oak followed me into my office, I couldn’t help the smile on my face because I knew he was gonna have a field day with this.

  I turned to face him and sighed. “I’m sorry I didn’t tell you first. I went to find you earlier, but you were busy breaking up that fight and then the night just flew by.”

  “This is for real?” He smiled.

  “Yeah. It’s for real.”

  Oak caught me off guard when he approached and gave me a huge bear hug. “I couldn’t be happier for you, man. How far along is she?”

  I wracked my brain for an answer I hoped would make sense.

  “A couple months…”

  A couple months—ish.

  “You guys have been together for a while, then. You had me fooled. It explains a lot about your crazy behavior, though.”

  “We’ve been keeping it on the down low until we figured things out.”

  He placed his hand on my shoulder. “Fatherhood is a gift. I’m glad you’ll get to experience it. I was worried you wouldn’t because you’re stubborn.”

  “It wasn’t something I ever thought I wanted, Oak. But I guess when you meet the right person, that changes everything.”

  “Damn straight.” He just kept shaking his head and smiling. “I knew from day one that you and Gia would end up together. I’m glad you finally saw it, too.”

  That night on my way home, I went to light up a cigarette. For the first time, I really stopped to think about the fact that I needed to quit because of the baby. I couldn’t smoke around him and couldn’t be smoking around Gia anymore, either. Throwing the unlit butt out the window, I decided to give quitting a real honest try this time.

  Then, I picked up the phone and dialed Gia. When she picked up, I simply said, “You know that work situation you were worried about? I took care of it.”

  A few nights later, Gia and I
were headed out to eat when I said, “Do you mind if we stop by my house real quick?”

  “No, not at all. You know I love your house.”

  I hadn’t asked her to move in with me. We were together every night, sometimes at my place, sometimes at hers. But I didn’t want to push things. Still, I wanted her to know that I was all-in, so I spent a good chunk of this week putting together a little surprise for her.

  When we entered my place, I led her toward the spare bedroom. “I want to show you something.”

  She looked suspicious when she grinned. “Okay…” When I opened the door, she gasped. “No way!”

  “I spent the week changing the guest room into a nursery. Do you like it?”

  She got a load of the newly decorated space. My mother had painted a mural on the wall of the moon and stars. I’d assembled a white crib and the whole room was done up in blues and grays to match the wall. A changing table sat in the corner. It was fully stocked with supplies. The room was move-in ready.

  She walked around, soaking it all in. “I…I love it. Did you design this all yourself?”

  “I might have gotten a little help from my mother. She painted this wall, actually. She’s been out here all week, and you didn’t even know. But I picked out the bedding and the other stuff. I figured it’s pretty gender-neutral with the gray mixed in…just in case he turns out to be a girl.”

  She was pretty speechless.

  “I don’t know what to say. This is the most amazing thing that anyone has ever done for me.”

  Kissing her on the forehead, I said, “I don’t want you to think I’m pressuring you to move in. That’s not what this is about. This room is for the baby whether you’re living apart from me or with me. That’s your choice. But I figured he’s gonna need a place to sleep when you’re here.”

  There was nothing I wanted more than for Gia to move into my place. But she’s very independent, and I didn’t want to pressure her. There were enough changes happening. At the same time, I wanted her to know that my home was her home.

  Gia walked over to the corner of the room and grabbed a stuffed bear that was sitting in the rocking chair. She hugged it and shocked me when she started to cry.

  She wiped her eyes. “Is it weird that I just don’t feel deserving of all of this?”

  “Why not?”

  “Just a few weeks ago, I felt like my life was over, like I was going to have to start from scratch and find my way back up. Then, you told me that you loved me and would accept my baby and me. And it just…it turned my world right side up again. Accepting my child as your own is a huge undertaking. I feel like you’re giving me so much, sacrificing so much, and all I have to give you is my love.”

  Wrapping my hands around her face, I looked into her eyes. “That’s all I need. It’s something that only a few people have truly given me in this life. You underestimate how much that really means to me.” I led her over to the rocker and pulled her onto my lap. “You never know when the tables will turn in life, Gia, or what will happen. But I know that if something unimaginable did happen, that you’d do anything for me. And when it comes to you and this baby…yes, it’s a huge undertaking…but sacrifice isn’t the right word—it’s an honor.”

  It was the third black dress I’d tried on in ten minutes. I pulled it over my head and threw it on the floor.

  Nothing fit me anymore, but I was determined to squeeze into something I owned. And it had to be black.

  Sweat was permeating my forehead when Rush walked right into the middle of my wardrobe crisis.

  “What’s going on in here?”

  “I should’ve bought a new outfit for tonight. None of my old stuff fits me. I’m at that weird point where I’m not really showing, but I just look fat and don’t fit into any of my clothes.”

  Looking good tonight was imperative because I was going to be meeting Rush’s family. Granted, he didn’t get along with them, but that didn’t mean I didn’t want to look good.

  It surprised me when Rush had asked me to accompany him to his estranged brother’s birthday party in the City. While I was curious to meet the bad apples—his father and brother—it made me really nervous. But he told me he’d promised his sister-in-law—the one I’d met at The Heights—that he would at least show up.

  Rush had an extra collared shirt hanging around in my closet from one of the last times we’d gone out to a fancy restaurant. He took it down and said, “Humor me. Try on this shirt.”

  “Are you kidding me?”

  “No. It needs to be pressed, but put it on for a minute. I have an idea.”

  Wrapping myself in the large black shirt, I laughed as I buttoned it up. It was actually long enough to wear as a dress but it was way too baggy.

  Rush grabbed a thick, red patent belt that was hanging in my closet and placed it around my waist. He pushed up some of the material above the belt then rolled up my sleeves halfway and adjusted the collar.

  I stood there speechless as he walked over to my jewelry box and grabbed a strand of pearls that had belonged to my father’s mother. He lifted my hair up and fastened it around my neck.

  He then led me over to the mirror that was affixed to the wall.

  Rush placed his hands on my shoulders from behind. “What do you think?”

  The ensemble actually looked really good. I couldn’t believe he’d pulled this off—that this shirt could actually pass off as a dress and look stylish at that.

  “I love it. It’s perfect. And it doesn’t make me feel fat at all. I would have never taken you for a fashionista.”

  “I’m not. I’m just good at thinking on my feet during times of crisis.” He pointed to my shoes that were lined up on the closet floor. “Those red heels I love would go perfect with it, too.”

  Flipping around, I wrapped my arms around his neck. “You’re like my hero tonight, you know that? I owe you big time later.”

  “I’m sure I’m gonna love taking this off even more than I loved putting it on.”

  Rush was strumming his fingers along the steering wheel during the car ride to the City. He definitely seemed tense, and that was understandable.

  I placed my hand on his knee. “Are you sure you want to do this? We don’t have to go. We could just go out to eat somewhere else.”

  “I told my brother’s wife I would show up. She’s been begging me for weeks. She’s delusional, because she thinks that somehow my relationship with him can be repaired. I’m only doing this for her. She’s always been nice to me. But honestly, a part of me wants to show up just to put a damper on his birthday because he’s such a dick. So, there’s that.”

  “We don’t have to stay long if it’s going to upset you to be around them.”

  “I’ll be fine. I’m a big boy. I deal with them all of the time in business meetings. A couple of hours at a party isn’t gonna kill me.”

  The fact that he wasn’t smoking anymore wasn’t lost on me.

  “I want you to know that I am so proud of you for not lighting up right now, because I know you really want to. You would normally be smoking one after the other in a situation like this.”

  “Yeah. Let’s not even mention cigarettes, okay?”

  I cringed. “Sorry.”

  He glanced over at me. “Got any other ideas to relieve stress while I’m driving?”

  “I would totally go down on you right now, you know. Don’t tempt me.”

  “Nah. I won’t let you take your seatbelt off, not with my precious cargo. I might let you give me head in the bathroom at my brother’s house, though.”

  “Anything to make you feel better.”

  He cocked a brow. “You’ll do anything, huh?”

  “Pretty much.”

  “That’s one of the things I love about you, beautiful.”

  Once in Manhattan, we parked near Rush’s brother’s place then walked a few blocks to the luxury building.

  A doorman checked our names on a list and brought us to a private elevator that led r
ight up to the penthouse suite.

  As soon as the doors opened a wave of heat hit me as we entered the crowded room. Waiters passed around trays of hors d’oeuvres and champagne. The city lights lit up the space through the massive floor-to-ceiling windows. Someone was playing a grand piano at one end of the living room.

  So many people were talking over each other, and that made everything sound muffled. I really wished I could have had a drink. Meeting new people always made me a bit nervous, but especially in this case, given the tension between Rush and his father and brother.

  Rush went to fetch me a glass of water. He returned with one and a flute of champagne for himself.

  The beautiful blonde woman I remembered from The Heights walked toward us with a big smile on her face. “Rush! I’m so glad you could make it.”

  She was wearing a long, black gown that seemed way too formal for a birthday party, even one as ritzy as this.

  “Good to see you, Lauren,” he said.

  She turned to me. “Gia, right ? Nice to see you again.” She flashed her pearly whites before giving me a quick once over. I wondered if she figured out that I was wearing Rush’s shirt.

  Lauren looked like she’d just gotten a fresh spray tan. It looked sparkly, like she had specks of glitter over her flawless skin. Her golden locks were done up in a twist.

  “Nice to see you again, too.” I smiled.

  “Please partake in some appetizers and drinks. We have Elliot’s favorite restaurant La Grenouille catering dinner later, so save some room.”

  Someone came by and swept her away into another conversation.

  Turning to Rush, I asked, “Where’s your brother?”

  He downed the last of his champagne and surveyed the room. “I don’t see him yet.”

  “Do you think he’ s going to be an asshole to you?”

  “No. He’ll be fake and nice around other people. He’ll be nice around you, too, because he flirts with any woman who’s not his wife. He’s mainly a dick to me when no one’s watching.” Rush kissed my forehead. “You want me to grab you some pigs in a blanket or whatever the fuck they’re passing around?”